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Gotmar Mela at Pandhurna is annually observed in Bhadrapad
month. The mela is organized at Pandhurna in Chhindwara District in Madhya
Pradesh. Gotmar Mela 2018 date is September 9. It is dedicated to Goddess
Durga.
Gotmar Mela is organized on the banks of Jam River and the
villagers of Savargaon and Pandhurna participate in the ritual. For the mela a long
tree is erected in the middle of the river with a flag atop it. Savargaon and Pandhurna
villagers gather on either bank of the river. Each group attempts to stop the
other from getting to the flag by throwing stones or got.
The village, whose resident happens to remove the flag, is
victorious. They carry the flag to the Chandika Mata Temple.
The whole ritual happens amidst the chanting of Maa Durga.
If by evening there is no winner, then the flag is carried
by both the villagers to the Chandika Mata Temple.
The mela was banned couple of times as several people get
injured during the pelting of stones.
Gotmar Mela is annually observ…

Swami Brahmanand Lodhi Nirvan Din is observed in Bhadrapad
month. It is the death anniversary of Swami Brahmananda Lodhi, a great freedom
fighter and pious soul. Swami Brahmanand Lodhi Nirvan Din 2018 date is September 9.

Swami Brahmanand Lodhi participated in the in the Salt Satyagraha,
Non-Co-operation movement, Quit India Movement and was imprisoned many times.

He was closely
associated with the freedom fighters of the era.

The day is of great importance to Lodhi Samaj. Numerous
programs are organized on the day, which include philanthropic activities.
Swami Brahmanand Lodhi Nirvan Din is annually observed on Bhadrapad
Amavasya Tithi or the no moon day in Bhadra month as per traditional Hindu
lunar calendar followed in Madhya Pradesh.

Dharanidhar Jayanti is observed in Bhadrapad month. It is the
birth anniversary of Dharanidhar or Balarama and is of great importance to
Dhakad Samaj, who believe they are the descendants of Balaram, younger brother
of Sri Krishna. Dharanidhar Jayanti 2018 date is September 1.

Dhakad or Dhakar samaj is spread across the states of Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Numerous programs are organized by the community on the day,
which includes charitable activities and satsangs.
Dharanidhar Jayanti is annually observed on Bhadrapad
Krishna Paksha Sashti Tithi or the sixth day during the waning phase of moon in
Bhadra month as per traditional Hindu lunar calendar followed in North India.

Ashtamukhi Ekadasa Rudra is a very rare form of Shiva. Ekadasha
Rudra Shiva has 11 primary powers and there is a manifestation for each power.
In Ashtamukhi Ekadasha Rudra form, Shiva has eight faces with 11 powers.
There is no unity regarding the 11 powers. Various people
have various interpretation of the powers.
The most widely accepted Ekadasha Rudra Shiva forms are: KapaliPingalaBhimaVirupakshaVilohitaShashtaAjapadaAhirbidhanyaSambhuChandaBhava
In Ashtamukhi Ekadasha Rudra, the eight faces of Shiva faces
eight directions.

Motha Pola is dedicated to the cows and ox and is observed
mainly in the Vidharbha region of Maharashtra and parts of Madhya
Pradesh on Shravan Amavasi (no moon day in Sawan month) as per
traditional lunar calendar in Maharashtra. Motha Pola 2018 date is September 9.

Farmers pay respect to bullocks and cows on the day as cattle is their main
source of livelihood.
On Motha Pola day, the rope tied on the ox is removed and
turmeric paste and oil is applied to the body of cows, ox and bullocks.

The cattle are bathed
and special food prepared like Puran Poli, Kichadi and Bajari are provided to
them.

The animals are also adorned with various ornaments and
clothes. Their horns are given a fresh coat of paint.

The bull is also worshipped on the day and villagers in
large numbers gather to pay their respect. The animals are taken around the
village in processions accompanied by music.

Many farmers also start the next farming season on the day.
The day after Motha Pola is observed as Tanha Po…

Padmanabha Tirtha punyatithi is annually observed at Karwar.
It is the death anniversary of Padmanabha Tirtha, an Advaita scholar who
established the Baad Guru Math in 1906. Padmanabha Tirtha Punyatithi 2018 date
is August 20.

Padmanabha Tirtha had written 43 books on Vedanta, including
32 in Marathi, five in Kannada and six in Sanskrit.

Various philanthropic activities are organized on the day.
Spiritual programs and prayer meetings are held at Baad Guru Math.
Padmanabha Tirtha Punyatithi is annually observed on Shravan
Shukla Paksha Dasami Tithi or the 10th day during the waxing phase
of moon in Shravan month as per traditional Hindu lunar calendar followed in
Karnataka.

Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu were two powerful demons who
were annihilated by Lord Vishnu. The story of the birth of Hiranyaksha and
Hiranyakashipu is found in the Srimad Bhagavad Purana.
Diti once asked her husband Sage Kasyapa to make love to her
at the Pradosh period of a day. Diti wanted to get a powerful son who would
defeat sons of her sister Aditi.

The pradosh period, which occurs in the evening, is a
forbidden time for sexual act as per shastras.
Sage Kashyapa could not resist his wife’s request and made
love to her.

However, Sage Kashyapa later warned her that she will give
birth two cruel sons who will cause huge misery on all living beings and they
will be annihilated by Bhagvan Vishnu.
It must be noted here that Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu
were also incarnations of the gatekeepers of Vishnu, Jaya and Vijaya, who were
cursed to take several birth on earth.

Garuda, eagle, is the Vahana or Vehicle of Lord Vishnu. Puranas narrate in detail on how Garuda became the Vahana of Lord Vishnu but what is more interesting and thought provoking is the hidden symbolism.

It is said that a man who does not deviate from the path of Dharma develops the two wings of devotion and knowledge and the tail that propels him forward is the Karma Yoga. Such an individual rises like an eagle with Lord Vishnu always on top and the Lord helps him in navigating through the tough terrains of earthly existence before merging with the Supreme Soul. Writing on the concept of Garuda as the Vahana of Vishnu, Swamini Saradapriyananda says that
An individual in the world really sustains the continuity of the world. His three aspects, as Knower through the intellect, as Enjoyer through his mind and as Doer through his body, demand the continuation of the world. The knowledge and enjoyment are interdependent and vary simultaneously, while the actions of a man affect his knowl…

Story of Matsya avatar of Vishnu and demon Makara, who stole
the Vedas, is found in the Padma Purana. As per this Purana, demon Makara was the
son of Sage Kashyapa and Diti.
Makara was very powerful and he challenged the Devas and
defeated them. Intoxicated with victory of Devas and his huge power, he forcibly
entered Brahmaloka and took away all the four Vedas from Brahma.
He took the Vedas under the ocean and hid it there.
As Vedas were lost, there was no Dharma on earth. Soon Devas
received no yajna and they become powerless. There was utter chaos on earth.
Adharma made its presence felt in the form of Demons and evil men. They ruled
the earth.
To find a solution, Brahma and Devas went to Kshirasagara,
or milky ocean, and offered prayers to Vishnu.
Vishnu promised to bring back the Vedas and with it Dharma
on earth.
Vishnu then took the form of a fish or matsya and entered
the ocean.
He then annihilated the powerful demon Makara and retrieved the
Vedas.

Those people having Kal Sarp Dosh or Kaal sarpa yog in their
horoscope should not wear gemstone or birth stone Cat’s eye. The gemstone
is known as Lahsuniya or Vaiduryam or Sutramani in Hindi, Tamil and other
regional languages in India.

It is believed that if people having Kal Sarp Dosh wears the
birth stone Cat’s eye the intensity of the yog will increase and it will cause
more damage to the person.

Gods in Print: The Krishna Poster Collection brings
forty of the most iconic images of Krishna. The posters also contain images of
Vishnu and his other popular avtars. The posters are a replication hand-colored
lithographs, multiple-block chromolithographs, and offset print images of
19th century. The posters are published by Mandala Publications and Earth Aware
Editions. From the publisher
Gods in Print: The Krishna Poster Collection brings
forty of the most iconic images of Krishna from Gods in Print into a
new removable and frameable format, allowing for greater appreciation of all
the details and thought put into each piece.
Featuring images of Krishna as the child Gopal, with Radha,
battling Kaliya, and many more, this divine gallery is the ultimate poster
collection of historical Krishna prints and lithographs for anyone interested
in Hinduism, spirituality, mythology, or art.
You can find more details about the book here. Please note
that the book is not published in India an…

Niladri Bije at Puri Jagannath Temple is the return of the
three deities – Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subadhra – to their
respective sanctum sanctorum in the Puri Jagannath Temple after the Ratha
Yatra.
Servitors carry the huge wooden murtis of three deities from
chariots swaying them rhythmically in a ritual described as pahandi to the
sanctum sanctorums.
More than 100,000 devotees gather to witness this return of
the murtis to the temple.
Suna Besha ritual is observed a day before Niladri Bije.

The repetition (japa) of mantra 'OM' should be accompanied by
a mental awareness of its significance.
In so doing, the awareness (chetana) turns inwards,
therefore (all) obstacles disappear.
Obstacles of the mind to be overcome are: diseasedullnessdoubtprocrastinationlazinessdesire for pleasuredelusionlack of concentrationmind agitation
Symptoms of a distracted state of mind are pain and
depression, trembling of the body and breath agitation.